Data information and info graphics

Adding a dash of visual appeal to raw data can make it easily comprehensible and instantly appealing. In the interest of (1) making your data more user-friendly and (2) not boring the eyes out of anyone who sees your work, picking a trusty data visualization tool is a must. With so many tools out there, choosing the right one that serves your specific needs can be a tedious task. As a first step, read this detailed guide on the factors to consider when choosing your perfect data visualization tool. I’ve studied the most popular free data visualization tools available out there, and in this post I’ll talk about my top picks. 1.

D3.js — often times, it’s simply called D3 — is the most well-known data visualization library today. D3 gives developers the ability to create even the most complex charts and graphs. Note that D3 is designed for modern browsers. D3 is an open source project. 2. 3. Tableau Public is capable, easy to use, and free.
The Rise of Bad Infographics. Given the ubiquity of infographics on the web today (according to one account they have increased 1200% in three years), you can be forgiven for thinking that they are a new phenomenon.

They aren’t. Infographics have actually been around for quite some time, as Edward Tufte pointed out with his popularization of one of the best infographics of all time (see pic and link): Charles Joseph Minard’s portrayal of the losses suffered by Napoleon’s army in the Russian campaign of 1812. Go ahead and take a look. Study it. I’ll be here when you get back. Do you see what he did? The Menard infographic also combines several different planes of information, from troop strength, to temperature, to distance. It’s sad, but many contemporary infographics are hardly anything more than numbers and clip art — often with only a tenuous connection between them.

Minard’s early infographic ably demonstrates the best qualities of an infographic presentation:
The Surprising History of the Infographic. The Scottish Scoundrel Who Changed How We See Data. A 1824 Playfair line graph, illustrating of how bread and stock prices are affected by war.

(Image: William Playfair/Public Domain) As news events churn up a flood of new information, many turn to charts to absorb it. Need to swallow an election poll whole? Here's a pie chart. Want to assess how your city's public schools are doing? Infographics and data visualizations have become such a part of public life that it's difficult to imagine navigating our tumultuous times without them. Today, graphs and charts are seen as more efficient than words, letting us gulp information rather than sip it. "Readers were accustomed to persuasion by rhetorical means," Wainer writes—well-written arguments, perhaps spruced up by a table or two, would get educated people on your side.

A line graph showing England and Scandinavia's import-export balance for the 18th century, from Playfair's 1786's Political and Commercial Atlas. Into this void stepped Playfair, a man with very little regard for tradition.
Palladio. About Fusion Tables - Fusion Tables Help. Bust your data out of its silo!

Get more from data with Fusion Tables. Fusion Tables is an experimental data visualization web application to gather, visualize, and share data tables. Visualize bigger table data online Filter and summarize across hundreds of thousands of rows. Then try a chart, map, network graph, or custom layout and embed or share it. Two tables are better than one! Merge two or three tables to generate a single visualization that includes both sets of data. Make a map in minutes Host data online - and stay in control Viewers located anywhere can produce charts or maps from it. Visualize bigger table data online Find public data Google Tables helps you search thousands of public Fusion Tables, or millions of public tables from around the web you can import to Fusion Tables.
Information is Beautiful. Australian datablog.